Signal device for vehicles.



J. C. EDWARDS.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPL ICATlON FILED OCT. 141 I913- 1,138,61 Patented May 4,1915.

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1. c. EDWARDS. SIGNAL DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14. 1913- Pattntd May 4, 1915.

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SIGNAL DEVICE roe VEHICLES.

--Zo all whom it-ma con-cm Beit known that I, JOHN C. EnwARDs, citizen of theUnited States, residing at Mo-.

bile, in the county .of ."M obile anrl State of Alabama, have invented certain new .and useful-Improvements 1n signal-Devlces forv .Vehipls; and I. do hereby declare the 01- lovv'ingtobe a full,clear,,-and exact descripti-oii of the invention, such as will enable weathers skilled idthelart towhich it appere "thins to' make'an'd use the sa'me My inven tion relates to. improvdinents. in signaling devices forautomob'iles and other vehicles, the object being to provide simple I5.

and eflicientnieans whereby the operator of an automobile, or thej-dr'iverof any-other Ion-change its movements, which .c'hange if unknown to the operators of the-vehicles be hind"might in'con-sequ'ence'of a deflection of its' .course, reshlt in a collison betweenthe" further object to provide improvemerits in this character. which consists-of a chamber illuminated by a' single electr c light, and providdwith' a .pluralit'y of aperturesjwhich are eoveredat certain times by opaque sheets-having"portions cut out 1n the .form' of letters, v hich spell Right and Left 1 and which ,sheets are under the-con: trol,of the operator of the veh'icleloy means ofswitches preferably located adjacent the drivers seat, upon the steering post or adjcent the steerin'g Wheel, and combine Wltli, such "changeable signaling device a con stantly illumin'a ted danger signal light.

A still further object of my invention is to ,provideja simpleand compact device of the class specified which shall consist of the fewest parts in order to accomplish the desired result,"-the construction and finish'beingsueh that an eihcient'structuremay he prov ded at comparatively little expense.

With these and-other ob'ectsin vie W, ,the

invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and ar rangementcf parts as will he more fully. hereinafter d escribed and .partmularlyponit edoutin the claim. I

In the. accompanying drawings, Figure. '1

is a'fron't elevationof my improved. sign-aling device,- Fig. 2 is a; frontviW with the Specification of Letter. Patent,

' face plate removed and showing the. sign plates and their operating mechanism. Fig.

on] line 4 ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical seetion'onl line ,5 of Fig.- QL Fig. ,6' is a p'ers'pectite view of a detail showing the means for operating'the sign plates and aplan View" of one of the electric circuits. Referring to the drawings, the"nu1nerz il. l designates the casing of myjimproved vehicle; device, which is prefe'ra loly formedo'f metal ahd is adapted to be secured to the rear of a vehicle by any suitable" means. The face of said caslng is provided and near" its lower edge .Wit

Patented Ma 4,1915. I 'AppIiceti oii-filee October 14, 1913. Serial No. 795,074. l

3 is -a vertical sectional .view tak'enon 'line l Figs- 1 is a siniilar'view taken y .su stantially 7 oblong apertures 4jand5 through which the sign plates hereinaften described, may. be

seen.

On the interior of the casing a,partition 6.

is provided; to preveht the'red danger light from reflecting into the signal plight coin partment and to prevent the signal lamp ,from reflecting into the 'dan'ger'li'ght cham- An ordinary electric' -1an'1p..7 of 'suit-.'

her. ablesize and preferably'shovi ing-a White light, is. provided in; the center of the signal ing compartment" and this lamp is; also adapted to ,be'confstantly lighted during the period in wh ch illumination is required.

secured to they back of the casing 1, above and below and at opposite sides of the elec their outer ends with threadedapertures 9'0 Horizontally disposed arms'8. and 9 are] tric'lamp 71.. The arms 9*are provided near 1 up wear on the ends of the spindles. and also to adjust the same.

Rigidly' connected toe; provided upon;

the-spindlescn one side .of' the casingfare lversli which are connectedhy means of links 15 With rocking levers 16, which. are

pivotally connected at 17 to the, arms'9:

Electro-magnets 1'8 'arev located afdj acent the 'armsf9 and one-,end of the levers 16 have armatures 19. which cooperate with said mag ets;

LLJEIectric ivireS-20}are connected for sep- 20 ythe electrd-magnets; Stops 25 'are provided t'oprevent-the sign plates from swingingback too rfar. The interior' of the pasing andarate excitations of thelmagnets '18 and are; passed out; through the back of the casing -to binding posts? 21, which'are. connected by wires to a switch 22 and said switch 22 is. adapted to "be located within easy reach of the driver or. operator of the veh1c1e.. Separate switches and circuits are provided for each of said electro-ma'gnets and a' bat- -te'ry 23-is: provided in each of said circuits. The sign plates 12 and 13 are made of opaque material and have letters spelling" Right and Left cut through them so that when either of the -s'igns"'are swung into a vertical positionfthe light from the lamp 7 shines through said cut out letters.

vSprings 2 lare provided upon the backlof the casing and 'theirouterendsare adapted -t -o bear agai nst one edge fthe sign plates to cause said sign plates to swingto a hori. .zontal position when they. are released by the sign plates are preferablycoatedwith white 'or light paint or enamel to make the interior of. said casing as bright as possible.

In the operation of my device, if the person operating the vehicle wishes to turn to the left, he will notify anyone behind him of'his ,intentions by turning the switch which closes the circuit that operates the f electro-magnetcontrolling the left sign.

' This is accomplished by the electro-n'iagnet attracting its armature 19 which forces the "lever 16 outwardly and causes the link '15 to rock the lever 14 and with it the sign plate and cause said sign plate to assume a vertical position; As the left sign. takes a vertical .position' it practically closes the opening 5 in the casing and the light from By the particular forni of "signs I employ and by my arrangement of their position relative'to the electric'lamp, a very efficient signaling device is provided and one in which the attention of the operator of the vehicle behind is not only attracted by the exhibiting of a sign, but also by the closing or shutting out of alight." y What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is ,A' signaling device comprisinga casing,

a source of light 'provideduapproximately ;in the center ot the interior of said casing-,' horizontally disposed arms provided in said casing above andbelow and at opposite sides of said source of light, sign-plates provided with-short spindles adapted toL-be pivotally connected to said arms, levers rigidly connected to certain of said spindles, rocking levers pivotally connected to certain of said arms, links provided between said levers and said rockingwlevers, arniatures provided at one'end of said rocking levers, and ele'c tro-magnets for attracting and ,releasing said armatures whereby the sign plates are adapted be turned on their pivots.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,- in the presenceof two witnesses.

JOHN 'C. EDWARDS.

' \Vitness'esr- JOSEPH ,C. ZIBKLE, R0131. E. BARRY, 

